Donations to benefit WASHS runners

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Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

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Posted Dec. 22, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Posted Dec. 22, 2012 at 12:00 PM

WAYNESBORO — Thanks to donations from the Eagles Club Inc. and Wayne Distributors Inc., both of Waynesboro, there will be a finish line timing device at cross country and track and field meets at Waynesboro Area Senior High School.

After attending a couple of cross country meets this past fall, Steve Minnich noticed that all the other schools had a digital clock at the finish line that displayed and posted the runners' exact finishing times.

"When I inquired as to why the Waynesboro runners were still running in the 20th century, with a handheld stopwatch, I was told that getting a timing device had been planned for years but they didn't have the funds to make it happen," said Minnich, owner of Wayne Distributors Inc. He and his wife, Marla, decided they would donate $1,000 toward the purchase of a new digital race clock. Their son, Jacob, a ninth-grader, was a member of the cross country team and plans to participate in track and field this spring

"My wife and I feel this is a merited project, and when I mentioned this project to the Eagles Club, they immediately responded with interest. Their generous donation of $4,000 will enable this project to come to fruition." Minnich added.

"The Eagles Club recognizes the importance of community service," offered Don Rhines, secretary of the club. "We have made a commitment to the lives of young men and women in the Waynesboro community for over a half of a century, and whenever there is a need, if we have the resources available to provide assistance, we have demonstrated time and time again that we are here for our neighbors," he added.

"I am beyond words for what the Eagles Club's wonderful donation means to these well deserving young men and women," said head cross country coach Walt Hasis. "I can promise them their donation will advance our running meets into the 21st century, and with this state-of-the-art finish line timing device, Waynesboro will look forward to hosting other runners from the tri-state area with Indian and Maiden pride for many years to come. The Eagles Club has truly provided our current and future runners with the best holiday present they could have asked for," Hasis said.

He and Darwin Seiler, head track and field coach, and distance coach Doug Crist, are still researching the purchase and hope to order it next month, according to Hasis.